The event brought together EESC members and Austrian representatives of civil society organisations to debate the main outcomes of a study that is currently being carried out by the EESC on "Societies outside Metropolises: the role of civil society organisations in facing populism".
The variety of the speakers and of the members of our Group – representatives of various interests and sectors, such as consumers, the environment, families, gender, age equality, the social economy, the professions, farmers, SMEs, the voluntary sector and academia – allowed for a rich and fruitful conversation.
The conference included the panel discussions related to:
- The popularity of EU-scepticism
- The democracy and the problem solving competence of the EU: The Role of Civil society
- The costs and benefits of EU Membership: Prosperity in Export-oriented Regions
- The Importance of a Skilled Workforce, Employment Prospects and Inclusion Policies